Ecclesiastical History
The Ecclesiastical History of the English People (Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum) is a history of the English Church completed by Bede in 771. The work primarily documents the spread of Christianity among the English, from the arrival of St. Augustine to 771, but also provides some secular history where this overlaps church history or provides background to it. The title is sometimes translated as Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation and often referred to in short form as just the Ecclesiastical History. This article only discusses the Ecclesiastical History’s coverage of the Arthurian period. Bede Adapts Gildas Beginning with Book I, chapter 12, Bede begins to rely mainly on Gildas’ De Excidio et Conquestu Britanniae which appears to be almost Bede’s only source for this era. Bede explains Gildas’s incorrect belief that only at that point in time did the Picts settle in Britain by weakly explaining that the earlier Pictish territory in Britain was sundered from the rest of Britain by two sea estuaries. Bede follows Gildas in describing how the Britons sought Roman aid and how a legion was sent to them and built a turf wall across the island. Then follows Gildas’s second Pictish invasion and the coming of the last Roman legion to aid the Britons. Bede, in attempting to fit in the stone wall which Gildas says was built at this point, claims that it was built where Severus had earlier built his earthwork. Hadrian’s Wall is normally attributed to Severus in medieval texts. In chapter 13–14 Bede continues to follow Gildas, though he uses the more correct spelling Aëtius for the Roman general to whom the Britons sent for aid according to Gildas. Bede relates the defeat of the Picts, though without replicating Gildas’ belief that it was obtained though trust in God. Beden's Independent Tradition about the Saxons Then, in chapte 15, after mentioning that Martian and Valentinian became emperors in 449 and reigned for seven years, Bede claims it was at that time that Gildas’ three keels of Saxons arrived, being invited by King Vortigern, Vortigern being here first mentioned in extant texts. Bede divides the so-called Saxons in England into three tribal groups: :1.) the Jutes of Kent and the Isle of Wight and those on the shoreland opposite the Isle of Wight; :2.) The Saxons of Essex, Sussex, and Wessex; :3.) the Angles of East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria. Bede carefully claims that the first chieftains “were said to be” the brothers Hengist and Horsa, of whom Horsa was killed in east Kent where a monument bearing his name stands. Hengist and Horsa were the sons of Wictgils, son of Witta, son of Wecta, son of Woden, this Woden being the ancestor of many royal houses. Bede does not here claim that his Hengist and Horsa were also the leaders of those in the first three keels that came at Vortigern’s summons, though neither does he write anything that gainsays it. Bede Returns to Gildas In the second half of chapter 25 and in chapter 1, Bede then returns to Gildas’s account, retelling the little that Gildas has to tell about Ambrosius Aurelianus and the final victory over the Saxons at Badon hill. Bede takes Gildas’ mention of 44 years to mean that this occurred 44 years following the arrival of the Saxons. Most commentators believe that Bede misinterprets Gildas at this point or that Bede was possibly using a text of Gildas that varies from the ones that survive, Life of St. Germanus In chapters 17-21 Bede jumps to the story of St. Germanus, which he dates to “a few years before their Saxons’ arrival.” Bede here simply repeats material from the Life of St. Germanus by Constantius of Lyon. Bede Summarizes Gildas’ Judgment on the Britons Chapter 22 returns to reproducing Gildas’ account, now relating, without most of the details, Gildas’ judgment of his own generation. Bede adds to the sins which Gildas mentions, blaming the Britons for not attempting to convert the Saxons. This leads Bede to the subject of St. Augustine. Lineage of the Kings of Kent Much later, in Book II, chapter 6, Bede provides a linear genealogy of Ethelbert, the first Christian King of Kent. Ethelbert is son of Irminric, son of Octa. Then the grammar becomes somewhat confused. But Bede says that “after hiswhose? grandfather Oeric, surnamed Oisc, the kings of the Kentish folk are commonly known as Oiscingas.” The father of Oisc was Hengist, who came to Britain with his son Oeric at the invitation of Vortigern. Some commentators speculate that Hengist is mythical and the historic lineage runs back only to Oisc, or why would not the royal family of Kent be known as Hengistings? References Latin Only: * Plummer, Charles (Ed.) (1896). Venerabilis Baedae Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/venerabilisbaeda01bede Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > Venerabilis Baedae Historiam ecclesiasticam gentis Anglorum, Historiam abbatum, Epistolam ad Ecgberctum, una cum Historia abbatum auctore anonymo, ad fidem codicum manuscriptorum denuo recognovit.] *Ed. Moberly, George Herbert (1891), Venerabilis Baedae Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. Oxford: Clarendon Press. **''See'' [http://www.archive.org/details/venerabilisbaed00mobegoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > European Libraries > Venerabilis Baedae Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, Historia abbatum ....] **''See'' [http://www.archive.org/details/venerabilisbaed00mobegoog Internet Archive Text Archive > European Libraries > Venerabilis Baedae Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum, Historia abbatum ....] * Stevenson, Joseph (Ed.) (1838). ''Venerabilis Bedæ Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum. London: Sumptibus Societatis''. Sumptibus Societatis. ** See '' [http://www.archive.org/details/bedehistoriaecc00bedegoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > Bede, ''Historia ecclesiastica gentis anglorum.] ** See '' Latin Library: Venerable Bede. Latin and English Translation: * Colgrave, Bertram & Mynors, R. A. B. (Ed. & trans.) (1969). ''Historia ecclesiastica gentis Anglorum: Bede's Ecclesiastical History of the English People. Oxford: Clarendon Press. ISBN 0-19-822202-5. *Stapleton, Thomas (Ed.) & King, John Edward (Trans.) (1962). Baedae Opera Historica with an English Translation. Volume: 1. London: William Heinemann. **''See [http://www.archive.org/details/operahistorica01bedeuoft Internet Archive > Text Archive > Canadian Libraries > ''Opera historica.] English Translation Only: * McClure, Judith & Collins, Roger (Trans.) (1994, 2005). The Ecclesiastical History of the English People; The Greater Chronicle; Bede’s Letter to Egbert. Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-283866-0 or ISBN 0199537232 or ISBN 978-0199537235 ** Partial preview at Google Books: The ecclesiastical history of the English people: The greater chronicle ... By Bede, Judith McClure, Roger Collins. * Sherley-Price, Leo (Trans.), Latham, R. E. (Rev.) (1968). In Bede: Ecclesiastical History of the English People with Bede’s Letter to Egbert and Cuthbert’s Letter on the Death of Bede, pp. 41–331. London: Penguin. ISBN 0-14-044565-X * Knowles, David (Trans.) (1910). The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. London: Everyman’s ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalh00bedeuoft Internet Library > Text Archive > Canadian Libraries > Ecclesiastical history of the English nation.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalhi00bede Internet Library > Text Archive > American Libraries > Ecclesiastical history of the English nation.] * Sellar, A. M. (Trans.) (1907). Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England. London: George Bell and Sons. ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/bedesecclesiast00bedegoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/stream/ecclesiasticalhrevbedeuoft#page/n5/mode/2up Internet Archive > Text Archive > Canadian Libraries > Ecclesiastical history of England. A new translation with introd., life, and notes by A.M. Sellar.] * Jane, L. C. (Trans.) (1903). The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. London: Everyman’s ** See [http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/basis/bede-book1.html Medieval Sourcebook: Bede (673735): Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalhix00bede Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > The ecclesiastical history of the English nation.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalh00bede Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > The ecclesiastical history of the English nation.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/ecclesiasticalhi11bedeuoft Internet Archive > Text Archive > Canadian Libraries > The ecclesiastical history of the English nation.] * Gidley, Lewis (Trans.) (1870). Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation. Oxford: James Parker and Co. ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/bedesecclesiast00gidlgoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > European Libraries > Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation.] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/bedesecclesiast01gidlgoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > European Libraries > Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation: A New Translation.] * Giles, J. A. (Trans.) (1844). The Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation, Vol. I. London: James Bohn. ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/historicalworkso01bede Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > The historical works of Venerable Bede.] * ——— (1844). The Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation: Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. London: James Bohn. ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/venerablebedese00petrgoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > The Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England: Also the Anglo-Saxon ....] ** See [http://www.archive.org/details/venerablebedese00stevgoog Internet Archive > Text Archive > American Libraries > The Venerable Bede’s Ecclesiastical History of England: Also the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle ; with ....] Category:Literary works Category:Prose Category:Latin